BA/AA program structure

I'm trying to piece together a program for student stage managers at my college. Right now, the administration is trying to advertise for student SMs, but there is no official "track" for stage managers and production managers. What courses (if any) are recommended at your high school/college/other training program?

One of the best known schools I can think of would be North Carolina School of the Arts. I have even looked into this school. It has just about anything you can think of to do with theatre such as Costume Design, Lighting Design, Performing Arts Managment, Scenic Design, Sound Design, etc. If you are serious about the arts, take a look at this school. But in terms of classes you might take for stage managment:

The University I am employed at is still building a tech curriculum. I attended a conservatory program (a while ago) and there is one consistent thing that stands out: Include at least freshman level design/ drawing/ tech classes. Some SMs follow the mainly management track, where they only know how to delegate. Others follow the hands on track so they can help trouble shoot and brainstorm for a solution to a problem. In my opinion the latter is the type of SM I prefer to work with. Get online and look at other programs: NCSOA, Yale, Carnegie Mellon, Webster, UC Long Beach... Hope this helps.

I am the technical director at PointPark University, home of the Pittsburgh Playhouse. PointPark has owned the Playhouse since the 60's but have never really had a tech program. For the past 5 years we have been trying to cultivate one. Still too early to tell how we are doing, but we do have some graduates out working in the field.

Cool, I have friends that go to PointPark but I don't beleive any of them are there for theater. I have seen a few shows at the Playhouse though. Always a pleasure to go see a show there. For anyone who happens to ever be in the PGH area, you got to check it out.

I am the technical director at PointPark University, home of the Pittsburgh Playhouse. PointPark has owned the Playhouse since the 60's but have never really had a tech program. For the past 5 years we have been trying to cultivate one. Still too early to tell how we are doing, but we do have some graduates out working in the field.

SJM

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I have an ex-student who attends PointPark and who interned at the Playhouse last year. Her name is Stephanie and I cannot recommend her to you highly enough. She is a wonderful person, talented actress and hard worker.

If you all are looking for a very hand on environment and one that encourages you to work in the professional field, I recommend NYC College of Technology. At Citytech we have 2 amazing professors, one is John Huntington, who has written the only book on show control in the market and is also a sound engineer. The other professor, David Smith is part owners in a company that provides a virtual orchestra. Besides that we have some of the most advanced and up to date equipment like the whole hog II, we also own about 20 moving lights and a whole array of show control products.

There is talk here of the North Carolina School of the Arts. It's in my home state, and I've talked to a number of people who are familiar with the program there. I'd like to share the advice that someone once gave me.

My theatre teacher, who works professionally a Tech Director, tells me that they will put you through a good program, and make you into a fine technician by the time you're out.

However. He couldn't promise me that I would enjoy my years there. The freshman year, apparently, is designed to scare away as many as half of the freshman who aren't serious. Even those who are serious don't enjoy it. From what JT told me, it didn't sound like I could look forward to actually enjoying any of my time there. They also teach a good degree of attitude. When he used to get together with his TD friends and decide who to hire, they would share tidbits about each of the applicants, and it was pretty much universally agreed that NCSA could stand just as easily for North Carolina School of Attitude.

You know the type. They're so sure that they're right that they're damn hard to work with. Even if they're ridiculously talented, you just can't stand listening to them talk for any period of time. Have you ever worried that you might become one of them? NCSA can help you get there.

But don't take my word for it. Go there, ask questions, get information from students. This is all thirdhand by the time it gets to whoever's reading it now.

Toul's comments are pretty much on the mark. Whenever I'm having any sort of stress in my life it is usually reflected as nightmares about the unpleasantness of my time at NCSA. I am very carefull who I recommend to go there. You have to know who you are already, its not a place to "find yourself".

As for the "attitude", its absolutely there. You have to understand though that they (those who run the joint) are building a technician/artisan/artist who can succeed in a high dollar, high stress "professional" end of the industry. Sorry if that sounds a little arogant. But if your looking to hire a laid back technician, an NCSA graduate isn't built for your environment anyway - so don't sweat it.

Now 14 years out of the place (nothing ever looked better in the rear view mirror), I can say with "attitude" that my professional peers coming out of other universities were profoundly unprepared by their teachers/schools to tackle daily challenges that I was trained to handle as a matter of course. Not meant to be arrogant, to the contrary, I feel that most university training for technicians and artists (specifically undergrad) is SHAMEFULLY little more than remedial learning or mindless slavery to dubious grad design programs.

Dollar for dollar, on the average college campus, is the theatre technician getting the same level of seriousness in training as his classmates in the Engineering building? If you're honest, you know the answer is "No". AND they both will leave University of Wherever with an identical debt-load. Yet, the Engineer will have a $50K entry level job waiting for him. So, who got ripped-off?? Frankly, if you're not getting trained to kick a$$ 24/7, you're getting trained to starve a whole bunch.